Baker Institute world ranking rises

By Kern Vijayvargiya     2/3/11 6:00pm

The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania recently recognized the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy as one of the top think tanks in the world. In its latest "Global Go-To Think Tanks" annual report, the TTCSP ranked the Baker Institute 16th among university-affiliated think tanks in the world and 27th among all U.S. think tanks.The new rankings are an improvement for the policy think tank; last year, the TTCSP ranked the Baker Institute 37th in the U.S. University-affiliated think tanks were not assessed in 2009.

The TTCSP rankings come from a survey of almost 1,500 policy experts worldwide. Ranking criteria included quality of academic research, access to policy-making elites, financial resources and evidence of an organization's efforts resulting in positive change. According to TTCSP Director James G. McGann, all 6,480 global think tanks were invited to submit nominations and offer input on the ranking methodology.

Ambassador Edward Djerejian, the Baker Institute's founding director, said that the rankings reflect the high intellectual output of the Baker Institute Fellows and Scholars.

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"To be ranked 16th, up there with Yale, Stanford, Harvard and Princeton, is quite a recognition for the university," Djerejian said. "Many leading programs are larger, with more financial support and fellows."

Djerejian said that the Baker Institute, in its 17th year, is also relatively younger. Nevertheless, the Baker Institute is self-sufficient for its funding, with respected intellectual capital and policy research. Djerejian also said that the Baker Institute focuses on bringing national and international leaders to the institute, enhancing Rice and the city of Houston as a major cosmopolitan city.

"This is a source of satisfaction but not complacency," Djerejian said. "You have to work every day to maintain cutting-edge performance."

Djerejian also described the obstacles he faced in helping grow the Baker Institute. He started work at Rice in a temporary office at Fondren Library in 1994. Djerejian had a temporary secretary, who changed every week, from a executive recruiting office. With the help of his wife, Djerejian started writing speaker invitations from the kitchen table of his house.

Today, the Baker Institute has grown, employing approximately 40 fellows and scholars. According to Djerejian, the Baker Institute maintains an endowment of $65 million, which covers 60 percent of its expenses. The remaining costs are covered by financial donations.

Hanszen College junior Myles Bugbee serves as the events committee chairman of the Baker Institute Student Forum. Bugbee said that he was pleased by the news.

"We are not particularly surprised," Bugbee said. "The contribution of the Baker Institute's output to public policy discourse is very substantial. Students also enjoy a close working relationship with the Baker Institute through the Baker Institute Student Forum."

BISF Events Committee chair Lauren Baba, a Brown College senior, agreed that the organization has benefited from the support of the Baker Institute.

"[BISF] receives a variety of support from members of the Baker Institute," Baba said. "Fellows at the Baker Institute attend or participate in events. The staff of the Baker Institute are extremely helpful in planning policy events and encouraging the BISF's success."

Djerejian said that the Baker Institute prides itself on its involvement in student life. Ten of the Baker Institute fellows, including Djerejian, teach courses at Rice. The Baker Institute also offers several student internships, which include a program organized with Leadership Rice to send four Rice students to a top think tank in France.

"It is a source of real gratification to see students benefiting," Djerejian said. "We see the Baker Institute as part of the mainstream in Rice's function of teaching students."

Bugbee said that he respects the fact that the Baker Institute focuses on balanced, pragmatic research, unlike some other think tanks.

"Ultimately, the ranking says something about the university's commitment to having a non-partisan and non-ideological think tank," Bugbee said.

According to Djerejian, the Baker Institute established this reputation through its non-partisan record.

"Baker Institute fellows and scholars are encouraged to follow their research wherever it takes itself," Djerejian said.

The Global Go-To Think Tanks rankings were launched in 2006, in response to requests from journalists and policymakers. According to the TTCSP, the majority of global think tanks are in North America and Europe. There are 1,816 think tanks in the U.S and 47 in Texas.

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